U.S. patent number 8,439,317 [Application Number 12/714,845] was granted by the patent office on 2013-05-14 for grommeted clamp assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Franklin Fastener Company. The grantee listed for this patent is James M. Sampson. Invention is credited to James M. Sampson.
United States Patent |
8,439,317 |
Sampson |
May 14, 2013 |
Grommeted clamp assembly
Abstract
A grommeted clamp assembly is provided for securing an elongated
member to an underlying surface. The grommeted clamp assembly
includes a grommet having a generally tubular body with an ovate
cross section. An opening extends lengthwise along the body and is
sized for receiving an elongated member. The grommet includes at
least one transverse projection. The assembly includes a pair of
clamp portions each having an anchoring end, an interlocking end,
and a curved portion. A second anchoring end is configured for
alignment with the first anchoring end. A second interlocking end
is configured for being received by a slot of the first
interlocking end. A second curved portion cooperates with a first
curved portion to collectively support the grommet. At least one of
the curved portions includes an elongated slot for receiving the at
least one transverse projection for retaining the grommet.
Inventors: |
Sampson; James M. (Southfield,
MI) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sampson; James M. |
Southfield |
MI |
US |
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Assignee: |
Franklin Fastener Company
(Redford, MI)
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Family
ID: |
42666609 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/714,845 |
Filed: |
March 1, 2010 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20100219301 A1 |
Sep 2, 2010 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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61156075 |
Feb 27, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
248/74.4; 248/63;
248/73; 248/74.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16B
2/10 (20130101); F16L 3/1008 (20130101); F16L
3/1083 (20130101); Y10T 24/44034 (20150115); Y10T
29/49826 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
F16L
3/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;248/62,63,68.1,73,74.1,74.3,74.4 ;24/530,542,543 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Non-Final Office Action dated Aug. 9, 2012 for U.S. Appl. No.
12/731,940, filed Mar. 25, 2010, 18 pgs. cited by
applicant.
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Primary Examiner: McKinnon; Terrell
Assistant Examiner: Marsh; Steven
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Brooks Kushman P.C.
Parent Case Text
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional Application
No. 61/156,075 filed Feb. 27, 2009. The disclosure of which is
incorporated in its entirety by reference herein.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A grommeted clamp assembly comprising: a grommet having a
generally tubular body with an ovate cross section, the body having
a pair of flanges extending radially from opposing ends of the body
with an opening extending lengthwise along the body, the opening
sized for receiving an elongated member, the grommet having at
least one transverse projection extending from a central portion of
the body; a first clamp portion having a first anchoring end for
resting upon an underlying surface, a first interlocking end with a
slot projecting therethrough, and a first curved portion formed
between the first anchoring end and the first interlocking end; and
a second clamp portion having a second anchoring end configured for
alignment with the first anchoring end, a second interlocking end
configured for being received by the slot of the first interlocking
end, and a second curved portion cooperating with the first curved
portion to collectively support the grommet, wherein at least one
of the first curved portion and the second curved portion includes
an elongated slot for receiving the at least one transverse
projection for retaining the grommet; wherein each transverse
projection further comprises a shaft with a distal head, each head
having a diameter sized larger than a shaft diameter and smaller
than an elongated slot width for retaining the grommet to each of
the first clamp portion and the second clamp portion.
2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the grommet further comprises an
open molded grommet having a smooth cylindrical cavity and pair of
opposing lead-in surfaces formed at the opening for engaging and
securing the elongated member.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the at least one transverse
projection further comprises a pair of transverse projections that
are oriented generally diametrically opposite one another when the
grommet is in a closed position.
4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein each of the first curved portion
and the second curved portion include the elongated slot for
receiving one of the transverse projections, and wherein a width of
each curved portion is sized for orientation between the pair of
flanges.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first interlocking end
further comprises a stepped slot having a lower slot width that is
greater than an upper slot width.
6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein the second interlocking end
further comprises a notched end having an outer width that is
smaller than the lower slot width and greater than the upper slot
width, such that the notched end is received by the lower slot
width, and retained by the upper slot width.
7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the first interlocking end
further comprises an interlock aperture having a uniform width, the
interlock aperture being sized for receiving the second
interlocking end.
8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the second interlocking end
further comprises a pair of ears having a transverse orientation
for insertion into the interlock aperture, the ears sized to extend
beyond the uniform width when plastically deformed for locking the
second clamp portion to the first clamp portion.
9. A method of securing an elongated member to an underlying
surface with a grommeted clamp assembly, the method comprising:
forming a first clamp portion with a first anchoring end, a first
curved portion and a first interlocking end, the first interlocking
end having a slot with a lower slot width and an upper slot width
and the first curved portion having a first elongated slot; forming
a second clamp portion with a second anchoring end, a second curved
portion and a second interlocking end, the second interlocking end
having a notched end with a distal outer width that is wider than
an adjacent inner width, and the second curved portion having a
second elongated slot; forming a grommet having a generally tubular
body with an ovate cross section, the body having a pair of flanges
extending radially from opposing ends of the body with an opening
extending lengthwise along the body, the opening sized for
receiving an elongated member, the grommet having a pair of
projections extending in opposing directions from the body;
inserting the notched end into the lower slot width of the first
clamp portion; rotating the notched end into the upper slot width
of the first clamp portion, where the upper slot width is smaller
than the lower slot width for connecting the clamp portions to each
other; inserting a first projection of the grommet into the first
elongated slot; inserting a second projection of the grommet into
the second elongated slot; wherein the grommet is configured to
bias the notched end into the upper slot width for maintaining the
connection of the second clamp portion to the first clamp portion;
and aligning the opening of the grommet between the first anchoring
end and the second anchoring end.
10. The method of claim 9 further comprising: engaging the
elongated member at the opening of the grommet; orienting the
elongated member with a cavity of the grommet; aligning the first
anchoring end of the first clamp portion with the second anchoring
end of the second clamp portion; and securing the first anchoring
end of the first clamp portion to the second anchoring end of the
second clamp portion and mounting to an underlying surface.
11. A method of securing an elongated member to an underlying
surface with a grommeted clamp assembly, the method comprising:
forming a first clamp portion with a first anchoring end, a first
curved portion and a first interlocking end, the first interlocking
end having a slot and the first curved portion having a first
elongated slot; forming a second clamp portion with a second
anchoring end, a second curved portion and a second interlocking
end, the second interlocking end having a notched end with a distal
outer width that is wider than an adjacent inner width, and the
second curved portion having a second elongated slot; forming a
grommet having a generally tubular body with an ovate cross
section, the body having a pair of flanges extending radially from
opposing ends of the body with an opening extending lengthwise
along the body, the opening sized for receiving an elongated
member, the grommet having a pair of projections extending in
opposing directions from the body; inserting the notched end into
the slot; inserting a first projection of the grommet into the
first elongated slot; inserting a second projection of the grommet
into the second elongated slot; aligning the opening of the grommet
between the first anchoring end and the second anchoring end;
inserting the notched end into a lower slot width of the first
clamp portion; rotating the notched end into an upper slot width of
the first clamp portion, where the upper slot width is smaller than
the lower slot width for connecting the clamp portions to each
other, wherein the grommet is configured to bias the notched end
into the upper slot width for maintaining the connection of the
second clamp portion to the first clamp portion; engaging the
elongated member at the opening of the grommet; orienting the
elongated member with a cavity of the grommet; aligning the first
anchoring end of the first clamp portion with the second anchoring
end of the second clamp portion; and securing the first anchoring
end of the first clamp portion to the second anchoring end of the
second clamp portion and mounting to an underlying surface.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
The field relates to clamps for tubes, pipes, hoses, ducts, lines,
cables and harnesses.
BACKGROUND
Clamps are devices used to secure articles to a supporting surface.
One type of clamp is a tube clamp, that is used to engage and
secure a tubular article to a supporting surface. The tubular
article may be a pipe, hose, duct, line, cable or harness. The
supporting surface may be an engine block or chassis member for a
vehicular application, or a wall or beam for a architectural
application.
In vehicle applications clamps are used to secure hydraulic,
pneumatic, mechanical and electrical tubes. Hydraulic tubes or
lines are commonly used for a variety of systems including: brake
systems, fuel systems, heating, ventilation and air conditioning
(HVAC) systems and power steering systems. Common systems using
pneumatic tubes or hoses include: lift, leveling and stabilizing
systems. Mechanical tubes or cables are commonly used on a variety
of systems including: hood and trunk release cables, parking brake
cables and shifter cables. Electrical tubes or harnesses connect
the various electrical systems and components on the vehicle
including: power generation and storage, controllers and sensors. A
variety of clamps are currently used to secure these tubes on a
vehicle.
Metal clamps are often used for rigid attachment of heavy tubes in
demanding environments, whereas plastic straps are often used for
flexible attachments. A metal clamp may damage a tube if it is not
properly assembled and does not properly engage the tube. If there
is any clearance between the clamp and the tube when retained, then
noise or wear of the tube may develop over time. Plastic straps are
elastic and conform to the exterior shape of a tube, which may
prevent wear. However, plastic straps typically do not have the
strength to support larger tubes and the plastic straps are not
suited for high temperature applications.
Grommeted clamps have been developed for applications requiring the
high strength of a metal clamp and elasticity of a plastic strap.
These clamps typically include an elastic material that conforms to
the exterior of a tube with a metal bracket to clamp around the
elastic material and anchor the tube to a supporting surface.
One common approach for a grommeted clamp includes shipping the
metal portions along with an elastic grommet as individual
components, where one assembles the grommeted clamp assembly prior
to securing the tube. This approach can be time intensive, and can
lead to potential problems if the grommeted clamp is not assembled
properly.
Another approach for a grommeted clamp assembly includes over
molding an elastic material to a metal clamp subassembly, then
providing a single grommeted clamp assembly to the user. This
approach saves assembly time at the plant, however many products
that are currently available do not properly secure the tube.
One example of an over molded grommeted clamp assembly that does
not properly secure the tube includes a metal clamp that is over
molded with elastic material while it is in an open position. Once
the grommeted clamp assembly is closed around a tube, the cavity
formed by the elastic material is of an irregular shape and does
not conform to the exterior portion of the tube. The clearance
between the grommeted clamp assembly and the tube may result in
wear to the tube and objectionable noise.
Another example of an over molded grommeted clamp assembly that
does not properly secure the tube includes a metal clamp that is
over molded with elastic material while it is in a closed position.
The elastic material resists plastic deformation, and results in a
grommeted clamp that is difficult for a user to open and engage the
tube during assembly.
SUMMARY
In at least one embodiment a grommeted clamp assembly is provided
for securing an elongated member to an underlying surface. The
grommeted clamp assembly includes a grommet having a generally
tubular body with an ovate cross section. A pair of flanges extend
radially from opposing ends of the body with an opening extending
lengthwise along the body. The opening is sized for receiving an
elongated member and the grommet includes at least one transverse
projection extending from a central portion of the body. The
assembly also includes a first clamp portion with a first anchoring
end for resting upon an underlying surface, a first interlocking
end with a slot projecting therethrough, and a first curved portion
formed between the first anchoring end and the first interlocking
end. The assembly also includes a second clamp portion with a
second anchoring end configured for alignment with the first
anchoring end, a second interlocking end configured for being
received by the slot of the first interlocking end, and a second
curved portion cooperating with the first curved portion to
collectively support the grommet. At least one of the first curved
portion and the second curved portion includes an elongated slot
for receiving the at least one transverse projection for retaining
the grommet.
In another embodiment, a method for securing an elongated member to
an underlying surface with a clamp assembly is provided. A first
clamp portion is formed with a first anchoring end, a first curved
portion and a first interlocking end. The first interlocking end
having a slot with a uniform width and the first curved portion
having a first elongated slot. A second clamp portion is formed
with a second anchoring end, a second curved portion and a second
interlocking end. The second interlocking end having a notched end
with a pair of transverse ears, and the second curved portion
having a second elongated slot. The notched end is inserted into
the slot. The ears are plastically deformed to extend beyond the
uniform width of the slot, thereby locking the second clamp portion
to the first clamp portion. The elongated member is received
between the first and second anchoring ends. The first anchoring
end of the first clamp portion is secured to the second anchoring
end of the second clamp portion and the assembly is mounted to an
underlying surface.
In yet another embodiment, a method of securing a tube to an
underlying surface with a grommeted clamp assembly is provided. A
first clamp portion is formed with a first anchoring end, a first
curved portion and a first interlocking end. The first interlocking
end includes a slot and the first curved portion includes a first
elongated slot. A second clamp portion is formed with a second
anchoring end, a second curved portion and a second interlocking
end. The second interlocking end includes a notched end with distal
outer width that is wider than an adjacent inner width. The second
curved portion includes a second elongated slot. A grommet is
formed with a generally tubular body with an ovate cross section. A
pair of flanges extend radially from opposing ends of the body. An
opening extends lengthwise along the body, and the opening is sized
for receiving a tube. The grommet includes a pair of projections
extending in opposing directions from the body. The notched end is
inserted into the slot. A first projection of the grommet is
inserted into the first elongated slot. A second projection of the
grommet is inserted into the second elongated slot. The opening of
the grommet is aligned between the first anchoring end and the
second anchoring end. The tube is engaged at the opening of the
grommet. The tube is then enclosed within the cavity of the
grommet. The first anchoring end of the first clamp portion is
aligned with the second anchoring end of the second clamp portion.
The first anchoring end of the first clamp portion is secured to
the second anchoring end of the second clamp portion and mounted to
an underlying surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a grommeted clamp assembly
according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrated
supporting an elongated member;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the grommeted clamp assembly of
FIG. 1, illustrated in an open assembly position;
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the grommeted clamp assembly of
FIG. 1, illustrated in a closed assembly position;
FIG. 4A is a top plan view of a grommet of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4B is a side elevation view of the grommet of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4C is a cross-sectional view of the grommet of FIGS. 4A and 4B
taken along section line 4C-4C;
FIG. 4D is a fragmented view of the grommet of FIG. 4B;
FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a second clamp portion of the
grommeted clamp assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5B is a perspective view of a first clamp portion of the
grommeted clamp assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6A is a section view of the first and second clamp portions of
FIGS. 5A and 5B taken along section lines 6A-6A, shown in an
initial assembly position;
FIG. 6B is another section view of the first and second clamp
portions of FIGS. 5A and 5B taken along section lines 6A-6A, shown
in an intermediate assembly position;
FIG. 6C is yet another section view of the first and second clamp
portions of FIGS. 5A and 5B taken along section lines 6A-6A, shown
in an assembled position;
FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a second clamp portion according
to another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7B is a perspective view of a first clamp portion according to
the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7A;
FIG. 8A is a section view of the first and second clamp portions of
FIGS. 7A and 7B taken along section lines 8A-8A, shown in the
initial assembly position;
FIG. 8B is another section view of the first and second clamp
portions of FIGS. 7A and 7B taken along section lines 8A-8A, shown
in the intermediate assembly position; and
FIG. 8C is yet another section view of the first and second clamp
portions of FIGS. 7A and 7B taken along section lines 8A-8A, shown
in the assembled position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are
disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the
disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that
may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are
not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or
minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore,
specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not
to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis
for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present
invention.
With reference to FIG. 1, a grommeted clamp assembly is illustrated
in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention and is
referenced by numeral 10. The grommeted clamp assembly 10 includes
a first clamp portion 12 and a second clamp portion 14, which are
assembled about a grommet 16. Once assembled, the grommeted clamp
assembly 10 is fastened to a supporting surface to secure a tube
18. The grommeted clamp assembly may be used to secure a variety of
tubes including: pipes, hoses ducts, lines, cables and harnesses.
An exemplary example of one such application of a grommeted clamp
assembly is to secure fuel lines on an automotive vehicle.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 the grommeted clamp assembly 10 is shown
in the open position in FIG. 2 and the closed position in FIG. 3.
The grommeted clamp assembly 10 is provided to the user as a single
unit. For installation, the user first opens the grommeted clamp
assembly 10' by separating the second clamp portion 14 from the
first clamp portion 12 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Then the user
engages the tube 18 with the open grommeted clamp assembly 10'.
Once the user releases the clamp portions the grommeted clamp
assembly returns to the closed position to retain the tube 18, as
illustrated in FIG. 1. Then the user secures the grommeted clamp
assembly 10 to a supporting surface using a fastener (not
shown).
Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 4C, the grommet 16 is attached to the
first clamp portion 12 by a first projection 20 through a first
elongated slot 22. The projection includes cylindrical shaft 24
with a conical head 26. The diameter of a base 28 of the first
conical head 26 has a larger diameter than the diameter of the
cylindrical shaft 24. The width of the elongated slot 22 is a
dimension greater than the diameter of the cylindrical shaft 24,
and the width is smaller than the dimension of the diameter of the
base 28. The grommet 16 is made of a flexible material such that
when the first projection 20 is inserted into the first elongated
slot 22, the conical head 24 and base 28 elastically deform and
pass through the first elongated slot 22. The base 28 has a
diameter that is larger than the width of the first elongated slot
22 and after passing through the slot the conical head 24 and base
28 return to their normal dimensions to retain the grommet 16 on
the first clamp portion 12. In a similar fashion, the grommet 16 is
attached to the second clamp portion 14 by a second projection 30
and its interaction with a second elongated slot 32.
With reference to FIGS. 4A-4C, the grommet 16 has a body 34 that is
tubular in shape with a first end 36 and a second end 38 that
opposes the first end 36. The diameter of both the first end 36 and
the second end 38 are larger than the diameter of the body 34. The
perpendicular dimension between the first and second end is greater
than the width of the first and second clamp portions 12 and 14.
These parameters allow the first and second ends 36 and 38 to
position the first and second clamp portions 12 and 14 during the
assembly of the grommeted clamp 10 to the clamp portions.
The inner diameter of the grommet 16 forms a cylindrical cavity 40
that extends from the first end 36 to the second end 38. The
grommet 16 has an ovate cross sectional shape, whereby an opening
42 is formed along the length of the grommet 16 at the tip 44.
In reference to FIGS. 4A-4D, the grommet 16 is a molded elastic
material, such as EPDM, Neoprene, Silicone, HNBR, Nitrile or
Viton.RTM.. The material selected will preferably have a Shore
Durometer Hardness between 60-80 Shore A. The grommet 16 is "molded
open", as seen in FIG. 4B, with the opening 42 incorporated into
the mold, as opposed to cutting the opening 42 after the mold
process. By incorporating the opening 42 into the mold process, a
first lead-in surface 48 and opposing second lead-in surface 50 are
created. The function of these lead-in surfaces is to replace a
ledge 54, that would be present if the opening 42 in the grommet 16
was cut after molding. During assembly, when the user engages the
tube with the grommeted clamp assembly, a user could inadvertently
contact the tube 18 against the ledge 54, and dislodge the grommet
16 from the clamp portions. By incorporating the opening 42 into
the mold process, the ledge 54 can be eliminated and this potential
problem is avoided. Alternative embodiments of the grommet 16 are
envisioned where the grommet 16 is "molded closed". This molded
closed grommet 16, would still include opening 42, however the gap
between opposing sides of the grommet 16 would be reduced.
Referring to FIGS. 1-4C, the grommet 16 is molded with an opening
42 in a position illustrated in FIG. 4B. When the grommet 16 is
elastically deformed to a different position, the internal stress
created within the grommet will oppose the deformation. This
internal stress helps prevent the grommeted clamp assembly from
disassembling during shipping. When the user opens the grommeted
clamp assembly 10' as illustrated in FIG. 2, the grommet 16
provides an opposing force that is reacted through the projections
20 and 30 to the clamp portions 12 and 14. These forces in
combination with the lead in features 48 and 50 create a "Snap-fit"
as the grommeted clamp assembly 10 engages a tube 18. This
"Snap-fit" provides positive feedback to confirm proper assembly to
the tube.
With reference to FIG. 3, the clamp portions of the grommeted clamp
assembly 10 include an interlocking end 56 and an anchoring end 58.
The first clamp portion 12 and second clamp portion are retained in
an interlocked position by the grommet 16 as previously described.
After the grommeted clamp assembly engages the tube 18, the
grommeted clamp assembly 10 is secured to a supporting surface by a
fastener at the anchoring end 58.
Referring to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6C, the first clamp portion 12 and
second clamp portion 14 interlock to form a clamp portion
subassembly as shown in FIG. 6C. The clamp portion subassembly
includes a interlocking end 56 and an anchoring end 58.
In reference to FIG. 5B, the first clamp portion 12 includes a
first anchoring end 72, with a first fastener receiving opening 74.
The first clamp portion 12 has a first interlocking end 84 with a
stepped slot 60 that has a first slot width 62 and a second slot
width 64. The first slot width 62 has a greater width dimension
than the second slot width 64. The first clamp portion 12 includes
a first curved portion 76 that has a first elongated slot 22. The
first curved portion 76 connects the first anchoring end 72 to the
first interlocking end 84.
Referring to FIG. 5A, the second clamp portion 14 includes a second
anchoring end 78, with a second fastener receiving opening 80. The
second clamp portion 14 has a second interlocking end 86 including
a notched end 66. The notched end 66 has an outer width 68 and an
inner width 70, whereby the outer width 68 has a greater width
dimension than the inner width 70. The outer width 68 has a width
dimension that is smaller than the first slot width 62 and larger
than the second slot width 64. The inner width 70 has a width
dimension that is smaller than the width dimension of both the
first and second slot widths 62 and 64. The second clamp portion
includes a second curved portion 82 with a second elongated slot
32. The second curved portion 82 connects the second anchoring end
78 to the second interlocking end 86.
During the assembly of the clamp portions to each other, first the
notched end 66 of the second clamp portion 14 is positioned with
the outer width 68 aligned to the first slot width 62 of the
stepped slot 60 as shown in FIG. 6A. As shown in FIG. 6B, the first
slot width 62 of the stepped slot 60 receives the outer width 68 of
the notched end 66 as the second clamp portion 14 is inserted into
the first clamp portion 12. Then the clamp portions are moved into
their interlocked positions by translating the inner width 70 of
the notched end 66 upwards into the second slot width 64, while
pivoting the second clamp portion 14 about the interlocking end 56
towards the first clamp portion 12 at the anchoring end 58 as shown
in FIG. 6C. The two clamp portions are interlocked, however they
can be easily unlocked or disassembled by reversing the assembly
process. Once the grommet 16 is attached to the clamp portions as
previously described, the grommeted clamp assembly resists
disassembly.
FIGS. 7A-8C describe another embodiment of the invention with
additional steps added to the assembly process of the first clamp
portion 12' to the second clamp portion 14'. These additional steps
allow the clamp portions to be securely interlocked to each other
prior to their attachment to the grommet 16.
The first clamp portion 12' includes a first interlock aperture 88
that has an aperture width 90 of a uniform dimension. The second
clamp portion 14' includes a second interlocking end 86' with a
first ear 94 and a second ear 96. During the assembly of the clamp
portions to each other, the second interlocking end 86' of the
second clamp portion 14' is aligned with the aperture width 90 of
the interlock aperture 88 as shown in FIG. 8A. Next the interlock
aperture 88 receives the second interlocking end 86' as the second
clamp portion 14' is inserted into the first clamp portion 12' as
shown in FIG. 8B. The first and second ears 94 and 96 of the second
interlocking end are then plastically deformed to be coplanar with
the second interlocking end 86'. After bending, the first and
second ears 94 and 96 resemble the notched end of the second clamp
portion shown in FIG. 5A. The width dimension of the coplanar ears
is wider than the width dimension of the interlock aperture 88. The
coplanar ears extend across the aperture width 90 to hold the first
and second clamp portions 12' and 14' together.
The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 7A-8C allows the clamp portions
12' and 14' to be assembled together as a sub assembly that can be
subjected to secondary manufacturing operations prior to the
attachment of the grommet 16. For example, the sub assembly can be
heat treated or plated prior to the installation of the grommet.
Since clamp portions 12' and 14' are securely interlocked together,
alternate clamp assembly embodiments are envisioned, containing
clamp portions 12' and 14' without a grommet 16.
While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and
described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and
describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words
used in the specification are words of description rather than
limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may
be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *